Name: Powerful Owl
Quick Facts:
- One of the only few owl species where the male is larger than the female.
- They have the longest interval between the laying of the first and second egg among all owl species.
- Carries the most prey during flight.
- Only owl to hibernate.
Width: Spans between 112 and 135 cm across the wings (44-53 in)
Length:
Weight: Male: 1 to 2.2 kg (2.2-4.9 lb), female: 1 to 1.6 kg (2.3-3.5 lb)
Native to: Western coasts of the Eastern Continent
Locations: Central Idalos, specifically the eastern Central Region, Rynmere and the western coast of the Eastern region
Appearance: The powerful owl is one of the hawk-like species of owl, often mistaken for the other. It has a long tail with a small head. This is the main reason for the confusion. The bill and ridges on the brows enhance the hawk like features even more. It's most often made up of dark grey or dark grey-brown colors mixed with dirty white. The species has large yellow eyes with greyish feathers to its toes and feet of a dull yellow color. Their name comes from the size and strength of their claws.
Habitat: The habitat of the powerful owl is tall, humid forests in general but they have been spotted in semi-arid woodlands and in mountainous gullies or ravines with varying forms of forestry growing in and around them. They also nest in coastal and sub-coastal woodlands during their time in Rynmere. They are most often spotted in Rynmere as they settle down for a season here while they live wild and widespread in all other areas where they've been spotted, often away from civilization.
Lifespan and Development: The powerful owl breeds during Ymiden in Rynmere, using the lands more northern location to help survive the hot seasons of Ymiden and Saun. During the season of Saun, the powerful owl will stay put near their nest, going in a sort of hibernation to conserve their strength for when their eggs hatch. The eggs are a dull white color, much like the parents feathers and come in clutches of two eggs. For about forty to fifty trials, the female will remain with the eggs at all times. The male will be most active during this time, providing food and protection for his mate. When the young owls are born they come in an off-white color with a grey-brown mask and grey on their wings, distinct from the adults. After forty to sixty trials, the young fledge but they remain with their parents for several season, up to an entire arc. Powerful owls have large breeding territories, between 800 and a 1000 hectares. depending on the scarcity of food. On average, Powerful owl families live about 15 km (9.3 mi) from their closest neighbors.
Diet: About 75% of the powerful owl's diet consists of mammals living within the forest they nest in. Their prey are usually around the size of large rats, rabbits or bats. The powerful owl will catch prey up to twelve kg (26.5 lb) in weight but can only carry up to 2 kg (4.4 lb) while flying. The powerful owl carries up to 100% of its own weight in prey, in comparison to other owls and raptors this is an increase of almost 500%. The specific species of prey depend on the region the owl currently resides in. The prey available during their nesting period in Rynmere is vastly different from the species it can find around Athart.
Temperament: The powerful owl is not an aggressor as long as you stay away from his nest. The male of a couple will actively defend his nest by attacking, and often, killing anything that tries to get near it. Between its own species, the powerful owl is also an active killer, defending its territory from other powerful owls with vigor. The powerful owl suffers the most deaths not from predators but from territorial and breeding skirmishes. Outside of those, the powerful owl seems to have no interest in whatever happens below it and many have been trained when born in captivity. Rynmere has an active trade in the trained animal as it is one of the better night time hunters available on the island. Smart for a bird, the powerful owl quickly learns and can be trained to hunt within half an arc.
Abilities: Most of the abilities of the powerful owl are extension from being part of the owl species, rather than particular or magical abilities. Their hibernation is the only thing that sets them apart from other owls on an ability level.
Night vision: The powerful owl is capable of seeing in the dark as if it were low light. In combination with the zoomed vision, this is the powerful owl's main weapon to hunt.
Zoomed vision: The powerful owl can see movement from a rat sized creature from about a kilometer up in the sky. In combination with the night vision, this is the powerful owl's main weapon to hunt.
Hibernation: The powerful owl can hibernate for up to fifty trials without requiring any food or water. It lives off of the fat it gathered before the trip to Rynmere. This ability seems to be more profound in females than in males.
Credit: Sintih/Wikipedia
